Margaret Woodbury grew up in a wealthy family, which afforded her all the opportunities she could have wished for, including travel. She began to collect dolls and toys as a young girl during these trips all over the world. She continued to collect throughout her life and earned wide respect for her collection. The museum opened in its current location in 1982 and expanded in 1992 with the addition of the atrium. In 2002, the museum's collection grew significantly with the acquisition of Salem's&nbsp;National Toy Hall of Fame and the physical&nbsp;size of the museum doubled in the next four years as new exhibit spaces were constructed to house these and other collections. Since 2015, the museum has also been home to the&nbsp;World Video Game Hall of Fame, one of many additions to the museum that demonstrates its commitment to preserving, interpreting, and sharing the history of play to include both physical and virtual/digital objects and forms of entertainment.&nbsp;

The National Museum of Play was founded in 1968 by Margaret Woodbury Strong.

Margaret Woodbury Strong established the Museum of Fascination in 1968.

Website

Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play


More Info

Video

Learn more about scholar Brian Sutton-Smith for whom the research library is named


The Strong National Museum of Play is one of the largest history museums in the country (it is 285,000 square feet in size). It was founded in 1968 by Margaret Woodbury Strong (1897-1969), who wanted her impressive collection of dolls, toys, and other objects of play to be preserved for future generations. The museum contains the world's largest collection of children's toys and related items. It is a highly interactive museum, featuring countless opportunities for visitors of all ages to play a wide variety of games, including video and arcade games. There are also many rides that visitors can go on. The museum is also home to the International Center for the History of Electronic Games, the National Toy Hall of Fame, the Woodbury School (a preschool program), and a library and archives. The museum also publishes the American Journal of Play. 

The Strong Museum - National Museum of Play

This tour starts at the home of Rochester's most famous resident, Susan B. Anthony, and includes several of the city's leading civic buildings and landmarks as well as several museums, galleries, and cultural centers. 

Highlights of Rochester New York Tour

This tour starts at Rochester's City Hall and includes several current and former landmarks. Be sure to check out Clio's individual entries throughout the city to discover landmarks like the home of Rochester's most famous resident, Susan B. Anthony, along with the museums, galleries, and cultural centers beyond the city center. 

Downtown Rochester New York Walking Tour

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Built in the late 1880s, the brownstone building at the intersection of Fitzhugh Street and Church Street has gone by several names. By 1898, the building was colloquially known as "Fitzhugh Hall." Until the 1930s, the building served as the Rochester Main Post Office. Today, the building is known as Rochester City Hall. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.&nbsp;On September 14, 1898, despite public unveiling ceremonies of the Douglass Monument not going as planned, nearly three thousand people gathered at Fitzhugh Hall to honor the memory of Frederick Douglass. Services continued due to the presence of all of Douglass's surviving family members -- his widow, three children, and three grandchildren -- who had traveled to Rochester from Washington, D.C., to be present for the unveiling. Addresses were delivered by prominent local and national orators, including Susan B. Anthony. In her address, Anthony remembered Douglass as a friend and family man and provided anecdotal evidence of his ability to overcome prejudice. Ida B. Wells-Barnett, female orator and lifetime advocate of anti-lynching laws, spoke of Douglass's continuing legacy, stating that Douglass "will be an inspiration to us in the many problems which [still] confront us."The speeches were followed by a violin solo, played by Joseph Douglass, the orator's grandson. A reception and Ball, held later that evening, was thought to be “a fitting finale for an eventful day in the history of Rochester.”

Built in the late 1880s, the brownstone building at the intersection of Fitzhugh Street and Church Street has gone by several names. By 1898, the building was colloquially known as "Fitzhugh Hall." Until the 1930s, the building served as the Rochester Main Post Office. Today, the building is known as Rochester City Hall. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. 

Fitzhugh Hall; Rochester City Hall

<div>Now the site of the Downtown Presbyterian Church, this used to be where the First Unitarian Church of Rochester would meet. In 1848 the First Unitarian Church of Rochester was the venue for a follow-up convention to the Seneca Falls convention. The church has been associated with many different reform movements, as well as reformers. This includes Mary and Susan B. Anthony, advocates for women's rights and close friends with Frederick Douglass. After his death they held a memorial service here at which Susan B. Anthony and her father spoke.&nbsp;</div><div> </div><div>The church was organized in 1829, but spent its first few years without a building or a minister. The location of the church has changed twice. The first time was when the church merged with the Universalist Church of Rochester (also shown on the map) and the Universalist's location became the joined congregation's place of worship. Later in 1959 the location was changed again so the old location could become incorporated into the under-construction Midtown Plaza.</div><div> </div><div>This entry is part of a public history project developed by the RIT Museum Studies program in celebration of the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s birth (February 1818).</div>

Now the site of the Downtown Presbyterian Church, this used to be where the First Unitarian Church of Rochester would meet. In 1848 the First Unitarian Church of Rochester was the venue for a follow-up convention to the Seneca Falls convention. The church has been associated with many different reform movements, as well as reformers. This includes Mary and Susan B. Anthony, advocates for women's rights and close friends with Frederick Douglass. After his death they held a memorial service here at which Susan B. Anthony and her father spoke. 

The church was organized in 1829, but spent its first few years without a building or a minister. The location of the church has changed twice. The first time was when the church merged with the Universalist Church of Rochester (also shown on the map) and the Universalist's location became the joined congregation's place of worship. Later in 1959 the location was changed again so the old location could become incorporated into the under-construction Midtown Plaza.

This entry is part of a public history project developed by the RIT Museum Studies program in celebration of the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s birth (February 1818).

Historic Site of The First Unitarian Church of Rochester

Central Presbyterian Church was originally established as Bethel Free Church in 1836. It received the name 'Central Presbyterian' when it moved to it current location on North Plymouth Avenue in 1858. The new church building was constructed next to the Post Residence, where prominent Rochester abolitionists Amy and Isaac Post lived. A historical marker to the no-longer-existing Post House is located by the Central Presbyterian building parking lot today. In 1890, the church was forced to expand its building thanks to the exponential growth of its bible school program. Central Presbyterian's huge, new round auditorium reflected the growing church's emphasis on communal music, which was heavily incorporated into weekly services. Due the new auditorium's large size and the church's convenient location, Central Presbyterian was chosen to host the Rochester funeral of famed abolitionist writer and activist Frederick Douglass on March 2, 1895. His procession through Rochester began at the Central-Hudson Station and twelve policemen delivered him to City Hall, where he stayed for a few hours. Through the Fitzhugh Street entrance of the hall, they exited with guards to the Central Presbyterian Church on Plymouth Street, where his funeral began. After the service was over, they passed through East Main Street onto St. Paul. The procession ended at Mount Hope Cemetery where his body was laid to rest. The Central Presbyterian Church was later used for the also-massive funeral ceremony of Susan B. Anthony in 1906. Like many downtown churches, Central Presbyterian experienced difficulty with maintaining steady church membership during the mid-1900's due to rapidly shifting demographics. Beginning in the 1960's however, the church was sometimes used as a hub for social movement rallies. Most notably, in the early 1960's, Central Presbyterian was the organizing site of several rallies against the Eastman Kodak company's discriminatory hiring practices. These rallies were spearheaded by local civil rights activists Franklin Florence and Bernard Gifford. Also during the 1960's, Central Presbyterian was the site of multiple protests against the Vietnam War. After years of dwindling attendance numbers, Central Presbyterian merged with two other Presbyterian churches downtown and became Downtown United Presbyterian Church in 1974. Operations were transferred to a new location on North Fitzhugh Street. In keeping with the church's historical appreciation of music, the building was offered to its major tenant, the Hochstein School of Music and Dance, for the price of $1 in 1978.

Established in 1836 as Bethel Free Church, the name of this church was changed to Central Presbyterian Church after moving to what is now called North Plymouth Avenue in 1858 near the site of notable Quakers Isaac and Amy Posts' former residence. The largest auditorium in Rochester during the late 1800's, Central Presbyterian Church hosted the primary funeral services for both Frederick Douglass in 1895 and then Susan B. Anthony in 1906. Central Presbyterian merged with two other local Presbyterian churches in 1974 and became the Downtown United Presbyterian Church (located on North Fitzhugh Street). In 1978, Hochstein School of Music Dance purchased the church building for only $1- a generous bargain that symbolized Central Presbyterian's longstanding appreciation for music. 

Old Central Presbyterian Church

After marrying in 1828, Amy and Isaac Post relocated from Scipio to this location in Rochester in 1836. Isaac Post established a drugstore in 1839 which would provide financial stability for the Posts over the course of their time there. Both lifelong Quakers, the Posts were prominent members of the burgeoning Spiritualist movement that occurred during the mid-1800's. Their Quakerism also had a great deal of influence on their social and political beliefs. Shortly after arriving in the city, both Posts became heavily involved in the Abolitionist and Women's Suffrage movements. Beginning in the early 1840's, the couple opened up their home as a station for the Undergound Railroad. The station would become one of the most important in the northeast, providing an essential hiding place for escaped slaves travelling to Canada. On some nights the Posts would hide as many as 20 former slaves in the cellar of their house. Their home also frequently hosted other leading figures in the movements. Frederick Douglass, William C. Nell, William Lloyd Garrison, Susan B. Anthony, Soujorner Truth, and Abby Kelley were some of the many close activist friends to the Posts and would visit or stay with them often. In fact, it was the Posts who convinced Frederick Douglass to move to Rochester and publish his Abolitionist newspaper 'The North Star' in 1847. A year later, Frederick Douglass accompanied Amy Post to the historic Women's Rights Convention at Seneca Falls fifty miles away. The Post Residence was also where Amy Post- frustrated by the local Quakers Society's disapproval of radical anti-slavery efforts- founded the Western New York Anti-Slavery Society in 1842. Membership was open to both men and women of any race and meetings were held regularly in the Posts' house. After her husband's death in 1872, 70-year-old Amy Post was one of those who, alongside Susan B. Anthony, attempted to vote in the election. Although she was unable to cast her ballot (unlike Anthony), she did succeed in registering. The following year she attempted to vote again, but was again turned away. Amy Post stayed very involved in activism throughout the later years of her life, attending conventions across the country and founding new radical reform organizations in Rochester. On her 80th birthday in 1882, the Rochester community held a citywide celebration for Post's lifetime of progressive work. This later became a tradition that honored other Rochester activists Susan B. Anthony on her 70th birthday and Mary T. Gannett on her 75th birthday. At the age of 86 in 1888, she was able to attend the largest women's convention in history at the time- the International Council of Women in Washington, DC. Post died one year later on January 29, 1889 at the age of 87. Her funeral was hosted at the Unitarian Society building. Following her death, the Central Presbyterian Church- located next to the former Post Home- bought the property on which the Post Home sat and expanded its building onto the land. Sometime in the subsequent years, the residence fell into disrepair and was torn down. In 1984, the City of Rochester erected a historical marker on the approximate location of where the house stood.

Erected by the City of Rochester in 1984, this historical marker stands in the approximate location of the residence of Amy and Isaac Post. Throughout the mid-1800's the Posts were prominent members of the Abolitionist, Women's Suffrage, and Quaker Spiritualist reform movements in Rochester. From 1836 until Amy Post's death in 1889, the couple lived in the house which stood here. Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, and Susan B. Anthony- all close friends of the Posts- are known to have visited their home on multiple occasions. The Posts also operated a station of the Underground Railroad out of their house, sometimes hiding as many as 20 escaped slaves a night.

Post Residence (Historic Marker)

<div> </div><div>This entry is part of a public history project developed by the RIT Museum Studies program in celebration of the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s birth (February 1818).</div>

On July 20, 1898, the Eureka Lodge, the African-American branch of the Free and Accepted Masons, led the parade commencing the laying of the Douglass Monument cornerstone. At 3:30 pm, Lodge members left their Durand Building headquarters, marched up Main Street, and down North St Paul St towards the site of ceremonies.The procession was accompanied by the Estella Chapter of the order of the Eastern Star, and headed by the 54th Regiment band. 

At the Douglass Monument's Central Avenue and St. Paul Street location, Grand Master E. R. Spaulding broke ground with a silver and ivory-handled trowel, which had been presented to him by Lodge members the night before. The cornerstone was laid at 4 o’clock, with the Honorable John Van Voorhis serving as the keynote speaker of the event.

The Eureka Lodge still considers their role in the laying of the Douglass Monument cornerstone to be one of their chapter's greatest achievements. Their current headquarters are at 616 Brown Street, Rochester, NY, 14614. 

This entry is part of a public history project developed by the RIT Museum Studies program in celebration of the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s birth (February 1818).


The Eureka Lodge Durand Building Headquarters (1898)

A former clerk at a local hardware store, Daniel Powers became a prominent member of Rochester's booming business community during the 1850's. Described by many as "larger-than-life", Powers was a successful banker and city leader, as well as a notable patron of the arts in Rochester. In 1863, Powers bought a large block of downtown real estate and, within five years, had razed every building on it. With his new development opportunities, Powers made an ambitious goal for himself. He was determined to own the tallest building in Rochester. Construction began in 1865 on the exact location of Rochester's very first permanent residence, a log cabin belonging to settler Hamlet Scrantom. After five years, the first iteration of Powers' grand new building was dedicated on January 18, 1871. Designed by local architect Andrew Jackson Warner in the Second Empire architectural style, the Powers Building was not only the tallest building in the city- it was the first large fireproof building and the first building to have elevators as well. With ten acres of floor space, it was also structurally massive for the time period. However, the ornate, huge building was not enough for Daniel Powers. After a taller structure was erected nearby, Powers had both a two-story tower and an extension of the mansard roof added in 1872. Another roof was added in 1881, followed by a third in 1889. Powers' final addition to his building was in 1890, when a five-story tower was constructed on the roof. The Powers Building was also home to the largest private art gallery in New York. Powers converted the entire fifth floor into a gallery to hold his expansive collection of works he acquired on various European trips. The public was admitted to the gallery at a cost of 25 cents. The rest of the building's floors were mainly used for office space. In the 1880's, Powers decided to construct a luxury hotel in a neighboring plot to the Powers Building. Completed in 1883, the Powers Hotel was opened to the public. Famous individuals such as Mark Twain, Babe Ruth, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt all stayed at the Powers Hotel during its existence. In February of 1895, when Fredrick Douglass’s body was being laid to rest, his family rested at the Powers Hotel in between the public viewing of Douglass’s body and the church ceremony.  Prior to his death in 1897, Daniel Powers intended to donate his art collection to the city- which would have made it the first publicly owned gallery in Rochester. However, when the city refused to supply tax breaks for the gallery, Powers withdrew his offer and most of the works were sold in New York auctions by his family. In 1973, the Powers Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Powers Hotel closed in the mid-1900's and stripped of many of its defining architectural features. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2019.

Built on the location of Rochester's first permanent residence, the Powers Building was completed in late 1870 after five years of construction. The nine-story office building was designed by notable local architect Andrew Jackson Warner and was the first large fireproof building in Rochester as well as the first building to have elevators. Daniel Powers, owner and namesake of the Powers Building, was determined that his building be the tallest and grandest in the city. Over the course of the next two decades, Powers had three mansard roof extensions and two towers added onto the existing building in order to keep its record height. In 1883, Powers also opened the historic Powers Hotel in a neighboring plot. 

Powers Building

Rochester’s first courthouse was constructed at this location in 1822- a year after Monroe County was formed. The land was donated by Rochester’s founders- Colonel Nathaniel Rochester, Colonel William Fitzhugh, Jr., and Major Charles Carroll. The courthouse building was designed and built by Gideon Cobb, owner of the first brickyard in the region and one of Rochester’s first businessmen. In all, construction only cost $6,700. Accounting for inflation, this would be about $150,000 today. Besides holding the county court, the building was also used as offices for both Monroe County and the Village of Rochesterville. Considered to be one of the country’s first “boomtowns”, Rochester doubled its population size during the 1830’s and 1840’s. To keep up with the area’s rapid growth, the first courthouse was razed and a larger second courthouse was constructed on the same location in 1851. This time the building cost $76,000- over 2.5 million dollars in today’s money. With its foundation, staircase, pavement and columns all made entirely of Onondaga Limestone, the new courthouse building was viewed as an architectural triumph and a great source of pride for the community. Population growth in Rochester during the 1890’s again demanded that a bigger courthouse be built. On July 4th of 1894, the cornerstone for the building was first laid. Construction on the four-story marble and granite courthouse lasted for two years and cost $881,000. This would be the current equivalent of over $26.6 million- a testament to Rochester's enormous industrial growth during the 1800's. The building was designed by famous Rochester architect, J. Foster Warner in the Italian Renaissance style which was popular during that time period. An addition to the rear of the building was made in 1924. This third Rochester Courthouse building served as the space where Governor Theodore Roosevelt held a public reception on June 9, 1899 after the unveiling of the Frederick Douglass monument. The reception celebrated the life and activism of Douglass, who died four years prior. A grand piano was brought to the second floor to supply music for the event. In 1964, the city’s courthouse was moved to its current location, the Hall of Justice. After this move, the building was repurposed to house the Monroe County Offices, which still reside there today. A plaque placed on the building’s cornerstone honors its history as a courthouse and includes the dates of all three former courthouses which were built at the location.

Completed in 1896, this building was the third Rochester Courthouse building constructed at this location on 39 West Main Street. The building's cornerstone bears a plaque displaying the completion dates of the three courthouses- the first in 1822, the second in 1851, and the third in 1896. After the unveiling of the Frederick Douglass Monument on June 9, 1899, Governor Theodore Roosevelt hosted a public reception at the Rochester Courthouse building in celebration of the recently deceased abolitionist's life. In 1964, Rochester's court was moved to the Hall of Justice and this building was converted into the Monroe County Office Building. 

Rochester Historic Courthouse / Monroe County Office Building

The idea of a centralized public library had been supported and frequently requested by Rochester’s citizens throughout the beginning of the 20th century. Due to an ongoing war and budgetary concerns, however, construction of the project was continuously postponed. Then, in 1911, Morton Rundel- a wealthy art collector and cousin of camera equipment mogul George Eastman- died. It was subsequently discovered in Rundel’s will that he had unceremoniously bequeathed $400,000 to the City of Rochester for the construction of a central library and public arts center. Rundel’s heirs later sued the city, claiming that the money had not been used within an acceptable time frame. Twenty-two years after Rundel’s death, the courts ruled in the city’s favor and the benefactor’s sizable donation was made available. Having accrued interest over the years, Rundel’s fund had just hit a grand total of one million dollars. At this point, the City of Rochester also received a $314,000 federal grant from the Public Works Administration- a New Deal program- to supplement the Rundel fund for construction of the library building. In all, allocated funding for the new library in 1933 would translate into roughly $26.3 million today. Construction on the site chosen along the Genesee River on South Avenue began in December of 1933. As a building erected using funds from a New Deal program, much of the construction workforce consisted of local men who had lost their jobs during the Great Depression. Designed by local architect firm Gordon &amp; Kaelber, the building was fashioned in a Renaissance style using granite and limestone. Its foundation was laid over the former Rochester Subway station- which operated from 1927 until 1956. On October 4, 1936, the Rundel Memorial Library was officially dedicated and opened to the public following a ceremony outside the building’s main entrance. The next day, when the library began operations, a reported 3,200 books were checked out by local residents. The new library central building was popular for its spacious and ornate design which included intricate carvings on the limestone façade and murals on the floors. The Rundel Memorial Library also featured a “Secret Room” down a hallway on its second floor. Filled with a local doll collection and an abundance of children’s literature, the “Secret Room” was a favorite hang-out spot for Rochester’s more youthful crowd. In the late 1990’s, funding for a multi-million dollar building addition and restoration project for the central library system was approved. On May 27, 1997, the $22.5 million Bausch &amp; Lomb Public Library building was opened on the other side of South Avenue, across from the newly-restored Rundel Memorial Library. In Fall of 2015, library page Kristy Hoffman discovered an aged scrapbook in the Local History &amp; Genealogy Special Collections of the Rochester Public Library. The scrapbook, a personal collection compiled by a local postal carrier during the 20th century, had been donated decades earlier and never properly attended to. When it was brought to head librarian Cheri Crist, a never-before-seen photographic portrait of Frederick Douglass was discovered within its pages. With the aid of curators from the George Eastman Museum, the photo was confirmed as authentic and dated to sometime around 1873. The portrait was unveiled for public viewing in a ceremony held by Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren on February 18, 2016. Beyond its clear historic value, the photograph’s discovery serves as a reminder that history can be found in the most unexpected of places.

Construction on Rochester's first public central library began in December of 1933 thanks to a sizable bequeathment from a wealthy citizen named Morton W. Rundel and funds from the Public Works Administration- a New Deal Program. The Rundel Memorial Library was dedicated on October 4, 1936. On the Library's first day, upwards of 3,200 books were reportedly checked out by an enthusiastic public. The Library building was restored by the City and a new adjacent building- later named the Bausch & Lomb Public Library Building- was added in 1997. The two buildings are connected by an underground tunnel that runs beneath South Avenue.

Central Public Library of Rochester / Rundel Memorial Library

Originally, the Lehigh
Valley Railroad Station was built in 1905 by the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The
station was designed by F.D. Hyde with elements of the late 19th and 20th
century revivals and French Renaissance Gothic revivals in its design. It
served as freight and passenger depot for the locals. Lehigh, which was a big
coal producer at the time, transported coal from the region and passengers from
Buffalo to Jersey City. 

As time went on, things
changed for the station. Passenger service ended in the early 1950s. The
building then served as a bus terminal until 1954. 

The station remained
vacant for many years and underwent a failed refurbishing attempt in the 1970s.
Eventually, the location was reopened, and operated as a nightclub in the
1990s, then finally transitioning to the restaurant it is today soon after. The
building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 as a
part of the Inner Loop Multiple Resource Area. Nowadays, the station
serves the public as the popular restaurant, the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. Serving
ribs and other BBQ cuisine, the station remains a celebrated tourist
destination.

The Lehigh Valley Railroad Station, now Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, was the last railroad station built in Rochester, New York and is also the last one remaining in the area. Standing since 1905, and having gone through several closings, refurbishings and changes over the years, the station/BBQ restaurant is on the National Register of Historic Places, as a part of the Inner Loop Multiple Resource Area. 

Lehigh Valley Railroad Station (Dinosaur Bar-B-Que)

Built in 1868 by Rochester architect Andrew J. Warner, the Geva Theatre Center was originally occupied by the 54th Regiment of the New York State Militia. The building was originally known as the Naval Armory and used as a drill hall, arms depot, and headquarters for the regiment. In 1907 the City of Rochester commissioned another renowned architect from Rochester, J. Foster Warner, who also designed the George Eastman house, to construct a stage house and lobby in the building. The building reopened that year as the Convention Hall. From 1907 to 1936, the Convention Hall was used for a plethora of various gatherings and events. These included charity fundraisers, public education forums, union meetings, and community entertainment. Wrestling and boxing matches were weekly occurrences there for many years. Annual dog shows and flower shows were also very popular and well-documented. Washington Square Park’s well-loved annual Dachshund Parade even originated as one of the Convention Hall’s many events.The original 4,000 seat Convention Hall was also the primary performing arts location in Rochester prior to the construction of the Eastman Theatre. Artists such as Anna Pavlova, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Enrico Caruso, Fritz Kreisler, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Arturo Toscanini have all performed or read their work from the stage there. During the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic, the building was converted into a hospital. This was done again in 1930 when entrepreneur and philanthropist George Eastman funded the creation of a tonsil clinic in the lobby. Following the Convention Hall’s closure in 1936, Rochester turned it into the Naval Reserve Building. Then, in 1975, it became the temporary home to several departments of local government. Among its many different past uses, the building is perhaps most notable for its role in New York politics. Countless political gatherings and two state conventions were held at the Hall. One of these was the 1910 Democratic State Convention- an event which Franklin Delano Roosevelt spoke at and later dubbed his “political initiation." Eighteen years later, he returned to the Convention Hall to accept the Democratic Party’s nomination for governor. He then spoke a third time, eight years later in 1936, as the President of the United States. It was at this same event held at the Convention Hall in 1936 during which Social Security was announced to the public. Other prominent politicians who spoke at the Hall include William Jennings Bryan and Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. In 1982, a 10-year-old theater company called Geva, purchased the building from the city and began remodeling it. After several years, they opened the Geva Theatre Center to the public on November 2, 1985. As of 2018, the Geva Theatre Company has put on over 400 stage productions, and the Geva Theatre Center is recognized as the best-attended theater in New York outside of NYC. Well-known actors who have graced the stage at Geva include Samuel L. Jackson, Kathy Bates, Josh Brolin, and Robert Downey Jr.

Designed by prominent Rochester architect Andrew J. Warner and constructed in 1868, the Geva Theatre Center building was originally utilized by the 54th Regiment of the New York State Militia. Following renovations in 1907, it has been utilized as a multi-purpose entertainment and gathering hall. Warner also designed and built the Power’s Building and Buffalo City Hall. The building has served a variety of purposes, including serving as a hospital during the 1918 Influenza Pandemic. Multiple American Presidents have delivered speeches inside the building including Frankin Delano Roosevelt when he accepted his party's nomination for governor and again years later as President of the United States. 

Geva Theatre Center

In 1925, a movement entitled the Little Cinema Movement began in Rochester, New York, to provide moviegoers with alternatives to big-time commercial cinema theaters of the time. The Little Theatre was the fifth theatre to be built in support of the Movement, and was open to the public on October 17th, 1929 and designed in an Art Deco style, fitting of the Little Cinema Movement. The Little originally was a proponent exclusively of silent films; this, however, proved problematic, as this coincided with both the Great Depression and the quickly spreading popularity of talkies. As a response to this, the Little began showing foreign films in 1931, as well as non-foreign films that they deemed of cultural value. Despite this commitment to their own unique brand of cinema, however, the Little Theatre began to have difficulty acquiring foreign films, and as other art houses abandoned foreign films altogether, the Little fell on hard times for the following decades. By 1967, the Little Theatre had been sold to a movie chain called Jo-Mor, and was owned by them for fifteen years. A renovation to completely redo its outside appearance was considered by the Jo-Mor chain, and in response to this, it was bought in 1982 in order to restore it to its 1930s glory. By 1993, the Little Theatre had expanded to hold five screens, vastly improving their potential for programming. During its renovations, the Little Theatre also had a café, a store, and a number of other amenities added in the following years. By its 85th year, the Little Theatre had made the transition from film reel to digital, allowing it to comply with film industry standards. Today, the Little Theatre continues to provide Rochester with an alternative to mainstream cinema.

The Little Theatre, also known simply as the Little, is a movie theatre based in Rochester, New York, specializing in airing lesser-played films. Opened in 1929, the Little Theatre was built as part of a movement to give viewers an alternative to large chain theatres, showing art films, documentaries, and other non-mainstream films. Today, the Little continues to provide the residents of Rochester with an alternative to mainstream cinema, as well as serving as a concert venue for local artists.

The Little Theatre

Established by George Eastman, founder of the Kodak Eastman Company, Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre (commonly known as Eastman Theatre) was opened to the public on September 4, 1922 as the largest performance venue at the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music. George Eastman’s intent behind funding the construction of such a large theatre stemmed from his love for classical music. He hoped that the building would be used as a community theatre for silent films and that the orchestra’s accompaniment of these films would introduce more people from the Rochester community to classical music. Inscribed on the entrance facade are the words, "For the enrichment of community life".The first film shown at the theatre was "The Prisoner of Zenda"- a silent film that played on opening night. Eastman Theatre's building is well-known for its expansive and luxurious design. The program for the theatre’s opening night reads- "In the architectural arrangement and in the furnishing and equipment of the theatre, it is believed that nothing has been omitted to provide artistic appointments and every detail of comfort and convenience, as well as perfection from an operating standpoint." The building’s marquise extends 367 feet down Gibbs and Main Street. It’s exterior is made from cut limestone and marble. Originally, the theatre contained 3,352 seats, but thanks to a $10 million donation by the Eastman Kodak Company, was remodeled in October of 2009 to be a state-of-the-art 2,260 seat concert hall. Over the years, the theatre has had performances from musicians such as John Williams, Igor Stravinsky, Stan Getz, Keith Jarrett, Leonard Slatkin, and Sir Georg Solti. It has also been the primary performance location for the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and is used for various concerts, speaking engagements, and community events in the city today. Most commonly, however, Eastman Theatre is used by students of the nearby School of Music for rehearsals and performances ranging from jazz to opera to choir.

The 367 foot long, 2,260 seat Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre has been Rochester's premier theater since its completion in September of 1922. The theater was established by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman as an attempt to introduce more people to classical music by way of a movie theater with an orchestra to play background music for the films. The theater has since been used as Rochester's Philharmonic Orchestra's principle venue, alongside housing performances by renowned musicians such as John Williams, Igor Stravinsky, Stan Getz, and Keith Jarrett. 

Downtown Rochester New York Walking Tour

The Strong Museum - National Museum of Play

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information